August 3, 2016 Weekly Crop & Weather Update

Below you will find the daily maximum and minimum air temperatures, growing degree units (GDUs), and 24-hour precipitation amounts for this week. These values are recorded at 8 AM and reflect the conditions for the previous 24-hour period (8 AM to 8 AM) at the Southern Research & Outreach Center, Waseca.

Air Temp(oF)

GDUs

Precip

Date

Max

Min

(inches)

Thursday, 7/28

84

66

25.0

0.16

Friday, 7/29

76

64

20.0

0.02

Saturday, 7/30

79

61

20.0

-

Sunday, 7/31

82

65

23.5

0.01

Monday, 8/1

84

66

25.0

-

Tuesday, 8/2

85

68

26.5

0.42

Wednesday, 8/3

86

69

27.5

-

Warm and humid conditions prevailed another week in south-central Minnesota. Temperature averaged 73.9 degrees or 2.5 degrees above normal. Daytime highs have only been slightly above normal, however nighttime lows have been about five degrees warmer than normal. The relative humidity makes it seem hotter than it is. Rainfall totaled 0.61 inch, which is 0.4 inch less than normal. Rainfall amounts vary widely because the rain comes from storms that are small in size, but can drop a lot of rain because the atmosphere is nearly saturated. The storm that brought us 0.42 inch dropped anywhere from 0.2 inch to 0.9 inch in a two-mile radius. Growing degree units (GDUs) totaled 167.5 or 12% more than normal. Since May 1, we have accumulated 1741.5 GDUs. This is 10% more than normal. We normally reach 1741.5 GDUs on August 11.

Last year this week was close to normal. Temperature averaged 71.6 degrees and rainfall totaled 0.70 inch and we had accumulated 1569.5 GDUs.

We just completed our 2nd wettest July on record. Rainfall totaled 8.93 inches. Our wettest July was 1979 with 9.64 inches. Temperature was 0.8 degrees above normal. We have been warmer than normal every month this year to date.

Corn is in the R3 (milk) stage. Soil samples taken on August 1 show we have one-inch more soil moisture than normal. Corn has plenty of moisture to drawn on for at least a week. Soybeans are R4 (full pod) to early R5. Aphid numbers remain low. We still have plenty of season left for aphid populations to increase. Keep scouting for aphids through R6 when plants begin to yellow.